The Biggest Little Farm - Review

The Biggest Little Farm

In this documentary we see a young couple living in a Los Angeles who are newlyweds. John Chester is a camera man specializing in shooting footage on themes of the natural world internationally and Molly Chester is a gourmet Chef specializing in organic foods (so to speak). Then one day they heard about a woman who had a dog shelter where the county authorities have notified the owner of animal control violations and they are going to retrieve all the dogs where most likely all will be euthanize unless anyone who wants a pet are willing to provide them with a loving home.

John and Molly decide on an impulse they can adopt one dog and choose to do so with a dog they named “Todd”. Unfortunately, they realize early on their cute affectionate “Todd” suffers from severe separation anxiety resulting in him barking all day long when they were away.

When they receive an eviction notice, the only solution and choice (as they saw it) was to ditch their LA apartment and move to a rural area where they eventually bought 200 acres of land in Northern California which resulted in them having newer dreams. Converting this seemingly discarded harden farm into an adventure of renewal of both land and human spirit in the documented story “The Biggest Little Farm”. An eight year journey showcasing their personal endeavor to building one of the most diverse farms of its kind. And through their hard work, persistence, triumphs and rewards and heartaches and sadness, we see in the end a finished product of how humans, plants, animals can be a shining example of the coexistence and interdependence of all life.

REVIEW: On the surface, this film is executed with an abundance of detail and patience of how an idealistic couple chose a land totally depleted of nutrients and suffering from drought resulted in them turning it into an natural oasis and paradise; a Garden of Eden if you will. But the bigger message, the bigger reward from viewing this film is how this back breaking journey lead to the concept and belief of how a co-dependence way of farming created even greater more energized life. And with this way of farming you the theater viewer get to experience firsthand the cycles of farming, the recycling of farming and the regeneration of farming that slowly created more equilibrium in the balance of the nature on that farm. Not only to prosper financially but to completely flourish beyond any of their greatest expectations and imaginations.

Devoid of any political agenda the joy of watching the Chester’s' uncompromising faith in the Earth that resulted in success was something far more than a mere noble story of personal and moral redemption.  Instead it is a wonderful example of how their ideas to farming can really be a help to all into making a change in the world, spotlighting not only the benefits of hard work but also the importance of respect for all of earths wondrous creations on the ground, under the soil and in the skies.

Oddly, the films also shows how an off handed promise the Chester’s made the day they adopted their dog ‘Todd………..“Don’t worry we will never abandon you” turned their lives into something magical. It’s their promise to that dog that compelled them to move out of their comfortable apartment taking them on an entirely new direction in life; a much richer life than their respective conventional day to day professional journeys.

Beautiful shot from beginning to end from an array of angles the Chester’s commitment to a dog and a rundown farm makes this film an absolute must see in the theater film for 2019. It will stir you to think, hopefully remind you and even awaken you to the fact that our earth is not some random blue, brown and green marble floating in the vastness of the universe. Rather it’s a wondrous miracle of evolution; a living regenerative planet of thriving life that works in tandem like one ocean wave to the next wave.  Moving with constant change and yet always in constant balance……………a co-existence balance of movement, peace, harmony and tranquility.

4.00 Stars